Elisa Cristina Gallo e Suely Lõbo

Transcription

1 The Building of Macbeth's Character through Comparison and Contrast Astrid Costa, Elisa Cristina Gallo e Suely Lõbo ne of the ways in whlch Shakespeare builds characters in Ua.cbe.tk is by using comparison and contrast. In order to demonstrate this idea, we have selected three characters, namely Dunn, Banquo,and Lady Macbeth, who will be analysed in relation to Macbeth. The reasons for the choice of those three characters acting as foils to Macbeth are: a) their re levance to the play as characters proper; b) the signifince of their link with Macbeth; c) their presence in mcroents whlch n be considered turning points in the plot. Dunn opposes Macbeth, first of ali, in the sense that while Macbeth's cunning mind is open to ali possibilities and pable of pretence, Dunn's nalvety makes him an easy prey to Man's cleverness at deceiving. His misjudgement of character leads to his own destruction. He is first betrayed by the former Thane of Cawdor, and recognizes his own blindness by saying: '... There's no a To find the mind's construction in the face: He was a gentleman on whom I built An absolute trust.' (1,4,11-14) It is quite signifint that, in the play, this comment is immediately followed by Macbeth's entrance, as if the king's words were an ironic harbinger of the events to come, announced by Macbeth's aside: '... Stars, hide your fires'. Let not light see my black and deep desires.' (1,4,50-1)

2 In the second place, Dunn's regai behaviour and noble feelings when> he arrives at Inverness oppose Macbeth's evil plotting. While Dunn offers his friendship and confidence, Macbeth, taking advantage of that, times: as his subject, his relative,and his host. is about to betray him three Banquo and Macbeth are focused in a similar way in the beginning of the play: as brave leaders and loyal subjects. In spite of that, Macbeth seems to occupy an outstanding position, since it is he that makes peace terms with the king of Norway. But some striking differences are gradually revealed as they meet the three witches and react differently. In the first place, Banquo seems to doubt their existence when he says: '... Live you? or are you aught That man raay question?' (1,,42-) Are ye fantastil...?' (1,,5) Macbeth, on the other hand, does not question the reality of what he sees, and slmply asks them to speak. Aer the prophecies,their attltudes do not change, as Macbeht wants to know more and more, and Banquo begins to attrlbute the vision to a mental hallucination: 'Were such things here as we do speak about? r have we eaten on the insane root That takes the reason prisoner?' (1,,8-5) It is as if the prophecies had echoed Macbeth's own suppressed ambition, whereas Banquo's unshakeabke loyal character repels any suggestion of a power whose nature seems to be ambiguous and even devilish. The newly received title of Thane of Cawdor works for

3 Macbeth as a confirmation of the truthfulness of the prophecies: 'Glamis, and Thane of Cawdor: The greatest is behind.' (1,,116-7) While he considers thera 'As happy prologues to the swelling act / f the imperial theme' (1,,128-9), Banquo lls them 'The Instruments of darkness" that 'Win us with honest trifles, to betray's / In deepest consequence' (1,,124-6). But let us notsuppose that he is entirely without ambition. What happens is that he knows how to deal with it, and between his sense of loyalty and the temptation of power, he bends towards the former. The evidence that he also is in conflict is that he evokes the help of 'merciful powers' to free him from 'the cursed thoughts that nature / Gives way to in repose' (11,1,7-9). In the beginning of Act III the two characters are once more confronted.emphasis is put on Banquo's display of loyalty,_ whlch is strongly contrasted to Macbeth's symptoms of moral deterioration. Banquo places himself under Macbeth's acknowledged command, as his subject. However, he hints at knowing the truth about the crime, and at his own hopes concerning the prophecies. Thus, way, as Macbeth's he threatens Macbeth's security in a double throne is menaced both by Banquo's incriminating revelation and by his progeny. At this moment the audience understands the motivations for the murdering of Banquo, and the confront is now between Macbeth's cunningness and Banquo's passive behaviour. As he is plotting the deed, he conceals his evil intentions under apparently trifling questions about Banquo's plans for the evening, to which Banquo, unable to detect what lies behind, willingly answers. Thus Macbeth's shrewdness is once contrast with differ Macbeth Banquo's alessness. again reinforced by Macbeth and Lady Macbeth have the same aim, but they in their attltudes in the achievement of this aim. becomes reluctant every time he has to face crude action:

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5 11 Lady Macbeth: 'A little water clear us of this deed.' (II, 2,68) In Act III, scene II, the situation is reversed. Now it is Lady Macbeth that expresses her discontent in terms of spiritual values: 'Nought's had, all's spent, Where our desire is got without content.' (111,2,4-5) And Macbeth is the one who is worried about the problem of security in the physil. sense, about things such as 'steel', 'poison', 'malice domestic ' and 'foreign levy' (111,2,24-5) Lady Macbeth is beginning to break down and even suggests that her husband should stop, whlch he will not do. It. is interesting to notice that, amid ali evil, there is a touch of humanity provided by their mutual concern. They spare each other in different ways: she does not reveal her anguish lest he may be the more worried, and he does not involve her in his plotting, perhaps already detecting her imminent breakdown. In the opening of the banquet scene they seem to be on the same levei: gracious host and hostess welcoming their guests. Soon aer, chãos emerges from order as Macbeth's delirium disturbs the ceremony. She reacts with her former strength, appeasing the guests and trying to keep an illusionary idea of order. At this moment of crisis she gathers ali her inner resources to suppo her mentally disturbed husband. As she had done in the past, she appeals to hds sense of manhood and tries to convince him that that ghost was made of the same stuf f as 'the airdrawn dagger' (III, 4,62). This is her last outburst of courage and, as Macbeth gradually recovers self-control, she sinks into an apathy which won't leave her any more. In act V Macbeth's self-control is transformed into an overboldness which will lead him to his own destruction. In a frenzy of violence, he gets stronger and fearless:

6 12 'I'll fight till from my bonés my flesh be hack'd. Give me my armour.' (V,,2-) As a matter of fact, this feverish state of mind is rather similar to Lady Macbeth's. The difference is that her disordered mind weakens her into madness: Doctor: 'You see, her eyes are open. Waiting gentle: Woman: 'Ay, but their sense is shut.' MV,1,27-8) She succumbs under the pressure of having suppressed her natural instincts to the advantage of her ambition. Her moral conscience, already awakened, rejects the bloody deeds they have sunk into, and throws her into the despair of saying: 'Here's the smell of the blood still: ali the perfumes of Arábia will not sweeten this little hand.' (V,1,55-7) We may conclude that the opposition that is reinforced in this relationship is of two kinds: a) inactivity versus action; b) madness leading to apathy versus madness leading to action. As we have seen, through the confronting of Macbeth and each of the three characters, main faults and qualities are effectively emphasized. ur vision of Macbeth as a charac ter is broadened by this kaleidoscopic perspective. And this positively enriches our understanding and appreciation of the play.

7 1 BIBLIGRAPHY Shakespeare, William. tíacbeth. The xford Shakespeare Complete Works, xford University Press, 1964.